BJJ icons gathered in Rio de Janeiro to honor MuriloBustamante. | 📷: Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog
MuriloBustamante‘s latest Brazilian jiu-jitsu milestone became agathering of the sport’s past, present and future.
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion andlongtime BJJ figure was promoted to 8th-degree black belt,receiving the red-and-white coral belt. This was celebrated at theAABB club in Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro, with many legends inattendance.
Several Brazilian legends attended Murilo Bustamante’s beltpromotion
Bustamante’s promotion was witnessed by major figures from both thegrappling and mixed martial arts world.
Among those in attendance were AntonioRodrigo Nogueira, RicardoArona, RicardoLiborio, Ricardo De La Riva, FernandoPinduka, Carlos Rosado and BebeoDuarte. Former rivals from other academies also gathered tohonor Bustamante, including Ralph Gracie,LeonardoCastello Branco, Sergio Zveiter, Hélio Soneca and ViniCampello.
Each of the guests took the opportunity to speak at the event,highlighting Bustamante’s enormous influence on the history ofBrazilian jiu-jitsu, vale tudo and mixed martial arts.
“I’m proud to say that in the biggest battles of my career, I hadmy idol and master by my side,” Rodrigo Nogueira said. “He was aworld jiu-jitsu champion and the first Brazilian to become theundisputed UFC category champion. His greatness is reflected inthis incredible gathering of masters from different generations anddifferent teams. This is a true tribute to jiu-jitsu.”
Bustamante is a Carlson Gracie black belt, former UFC champion andco-founder of Brazilian Top Team. A multiple-time BJJ worldchampion, he helped shape the early days of vale tudo and mixedmartial arts before becoming one of the sport’s most respectedfigures.
